New Jersey is one of the states who do not have a central online repository for searching historical newspapers. Several states use the Library of Congress Chronicling America site as their main central online site for searching old newspapers. New Jersey just starting adding digitized titles to that site. The online newspaper titles are available from several different sites, many free and some require a subscription. Below is a list of where the titles are stored and the link so that you can access them.
There are around 2,000 newspapers that have been published in the Garden State - certainly not all of them are searchable online. But there are quite a few that are indeed available. So go for it - find your New Jersey ancestors and all the interesting articles that capture the stories of their lives.
Please note that I have not always entered the dates that are included in the collections, as I suspect they will change as more items are digitized. Also I suspect that some of these links may change over time - so if there is a dead link - please use your favorite search engine to find their new location.
(Updated November, 2020; recently added links are in BOLD)
Free Sites:
Statewide Collections:
Chronicling America - New Jersey
- Bridgeton, N.J., 1851-1884 - West-Jersey pioneer. [volume]
- Bridgeton, N.J., 1884-1919 - Bridgeton pioneer.
- Jersey City [N.J.], 1886-1891 - The Sunday morning news. [volume]
- Jersey City [N.J.], 1889-1906 - The Jersey City news.
- Morristown, N.J., 1877-1915 - The Morris County chronicle. [volume]
- Newark, N.J., 1907-1908 - The Evening star and Newark advertiser. [volume]
- Newark, N.J., 1908-1909 - The star and Newark advertiser.
- Newark, N.J., 1908-1909 - The Star and Newark advertiser. [volume]
- Newark, N.J., 1909-1909 - The Newark star and Newark advertiser.
- Newark, N.J., 1909-1916 - Newark evening star and Newark advertiser. [volume]
- Newark, N.J., 1916-1939 - Newark star-eagle. [volume]
- Perth Amboy, N.J., 1903-1959 - Perth Amboy evening news. [volume]
- Woodbury, N.J., 1878-1932 - Gloucester County Democrat.
Google News Archive
- Bayonne City - The Bayonne Herald
- Camden - Camden Democrat
- Newark - The Sunday Call
- Newark - Newark Sunday Call
- New Brunswick - Political Intelligence and New-Jersey Advertiser
- Paterson - Paterson Daily Press
- Paterson - The Paterson Weekly Press
- Paterson - The Paterson Press
- Trenton - Evening True American
- Trenton - Trenton True American
- Trenton - Daily True American
New Jersey Historical Portal
- Asbury Park
- Belmar Twp.
- Bernardsville News
- Boonton
- Caldwell
- Carlstadt
- Chatham
- Cliffside
- Cranbury
- Cranford
- Dover
- Glen Ridge
- Haddonfield
- Hightstown
- Hillside
- Hoboken
- Home News Tribune
- Jersey City
- Lake Hopatcong
- Long Branch
- Maplewood
- Matawan
- Metuchen
- Montclair
- Morristown
- New Brunswick
- Nutley
- Ocean City
- Ocean Grove
- Plainfield
- Rahway
- Red Bank
- Ringwood
- Secaucus
- Somerville
- Spring Lake
- Summit
- Tuckerton
- Washington
- Watertown
- Westfield
- Woodbridge
New Jersey Digital Highway - Newspapers
New Jersey Media Group Archives (index; articles must pay)
- The Record
- Herald News
County and Library Collections:
Asbury Park Newspapers
Atlantic County Digitized Newspapers
- Atlantic Journal 1860
- Hammonton Farmer 1863 and 1866
- South Jersey Republican 1863-1923
- Atlantic Democrat and Cape May County Register 1864-1865
- Atlantic Democrat and Cumberland County Patriot 1866
- Atlantic Democrat 1867-1868
- Hammonton Item 1872-1877
- Mays Landing Record 1877-1906
- Atlantic County Record 1908-1917
- South Jersey Star 1917-1923
Belmar Newspapers
- The Crab
- Coast Advertiser
- Ocean Grove Times
- Coast Echo
Boonton Holmes Times-Bulletin
- Boonton Weekly Bulletin
Burlington County Newspapers
- Burlington County Newspaper Notices Index
- Batsto Citizens Gazette
- Bordentown Register/Register News
- Central Record
- New Jersey Mirror
- Times-Advertiser/Community News Index
Cape May Court House Library (in library access only)
- Cape May County Gazette
- Cape May County Herald
- Cape May County Times
- Cape May Daily Herald
- Cape May Daily Star
- Cape May Herald
- Cape May Ocean Wave
- Daily Cape May Wave
- Ocean City Sentinel
- Star of the Cape
Chatham Newspapers
- Chatham Courier
- Chatham News
- Chatham Press
Cherry Hills Public Library
- Cherry Hill News
- Cherry Hill News Suburban
- Delaware Township News
- Cherry Hill And Delaware Township News
- Delaware Township News
Chester Library (Library access only)
- Observer-Tribune
- The Mendham-Chester Tribune
Clark Public Library Historical Newspapers
- Clark Patriot
- The Eagle
- Union County Local Source
Cranbury Public Library
Cranford Public Library
Elizabeth Public Library
Englewood Public Library Newspapers
Fanwood Memorial Library & Scotch Plains Public Library
Franklin Township (Library access only)
- Record (1948-1958)
- Franklin News (1954-1958)
- Franklin News-Record (1958-1998)
- Franklin Focus (1989-1997)
- Spectator (1992-1998)
- Strictly Somerset (1994-1997)
Haddonfield Public Library
- The Haddon Gazette
- The Haddon Gazette Suburban
- The Suburban
Hightstown Newspapers
- Excelsior
- Hightstown Gazette
- Village Record
- Daily Graphic
- Independent
- Independent Weekly
- Reporter
Hillside Public Library Newspapers
Lake Hopatcong Newspapers
- The Angular
- The Breeze
Lambertville Free Library Newspapers
- Beacon
- Beacon and Lambertville Record
- Lambertville Beacon
- Peoples Beacon
- The Beacon
- The Lambertville Beacon
Lyndhurst Public Library
Maplewood Public Library
Matawan Aberdeen Public Library
Metuchen Public Library
- Metuchen Recorder
- Metuche Review
Millburn Archives
New Brunswick Public Library
New Providence Memorial Library
- Millburn-Short Hills Independent Press
- Berkeley Heights New Providence Press
- Berkeley Heights New Providence Independent Press
Newark Public Library Digitized Newspapers
- After Hours Magazine
- Black Mirror News
- Trend Magazine (1957-1959)
- La Hispanidad Newsletter Collection
- Advance
- Herald Advance
- New Jersey Herald News
- Newark Herald
- Family Service Bureau Newsletter
- Grafrica
- Ironbound Voices
- New Community Clarion
- New Community Douglass-Harrison News Highlights
- New Community Intercom
- Tenant Action News
- La Tribuna De New Jersey
- City News
- Information/Informacion
Ocean City Free Public Library Newspaper Archive
- Daily Sentinel (in library)
- Daily Reporter (in library)
- Ledger (in library)
- Ocean City News (in library)
- Ocean City Sentinel (in library)
- Cape May County Gazette (in library)
- Somers Point Herald (in library)
- Ocean City Sentinel Ledger (in library)
Ocean City Newspapers
- Cape May County Gazette
- Daily Reporter
- Ledger
- Ocean City Sentinel
- Sentinel Ledger
Ocean County Library
Ocean Grove Newspapers
Paterson Newspaper Archive
Plainfield Historical Newspaper Collection
- Central New Jersey Times
- The Constitutionalist
- Plainfield Courier-News
- Daily Press
- Plainfield Daily Press
- Evening News
- Plainfield Evening News
- North Plainfield Weekly Review
- Plainfield Gazette
- Plainfield Record
- Plainfield Union, various names
- The Suburbanite
- The Voice
- Plainfield Courier
- Mid-State Press
Princeton University Library
- Princeton Herald
- Princeton Recollector
- Local Express
- Town Topics
- Princeton University Weekly Bulletin
- Nassau Literary Review
- Daily Princetonian
Rahway Newspapers
- Clark Patriot
- The Daily Record
- National Democrat
- News Herald
- News Record
- Rahway Advocate
- Rahway Progess
- The Rahway Record
- The Weekly Advocate and Times
Randolph Free Public Library
- Randolph News-Journal
- The Home News Of Randolph Township
- The Randolph Reporter
Red Bank Public Library
Riverton Historical Newspapers
Rockaway Township Free Public Library
Sadie Pope Dowdell Public Library
South Brunswick Public Library
- Central Post
- South Brunswick Post
South Plainfield Collection
- The Chronicle (2003 - 2007)
- Observer (1997 - 2002)
- Observer (2003 - 2008)
- Observer (2009 - 2012)
- The Reporter (1990-1994, 2003)
Spring Lake Newspapers
- Asbury Park Journal
- Coast Echo
- Coast Star
- Manasquan Seaside
Summit Free Public Library Historical Newspapers
- Herald
- Observer
- Dispatch
- Herald-Dispatch
- Union County Local Source
- Record
Watertown Newspapers
- Post
- Post Boy
- Sunday Republican
- Watertown Journal
- Watertown News
Westfield Memorial Library Newspapers
Woodbridge Township Historic Newspapers
- Avenel Bulletin - 1922 - 1923
- Carteret Press - 1925 - 1965
- Fords Beacon - 1936 - 1960
- Independent Leader - 1940 - 1965
- Leader Journal - 1934 - 1939
- Leader Press - 1967 - 1970
- The Independent Hour - 1876 - 1877
- The Weekly Register - 1898 - 1902
- The Woodbridge Leader - 1926 - 1931
- The Woodbridge News - 1899 - 1902
- Woodbridge Independent - 1919 - 1939
- Woodbridge Leader - 1931 - 1934
Student Collections:
Bergen Community College - Paramus Bordentown Manual Training School - Bordentown Caldwell University - Caldwell Centennary College - Hackettstown College of New Jersey - Ewing Drew University - Madison Essex County College - Newark Farleigh Dickinson University - Teaneck Farleigh Dickinson University - Florham Georgian Court University - Lakewood Highland Park High School - Highland Park John P Stevens High School - Edison Township Kean University - Union Monmouth University -West Long Branch Montclair State University - Montclair New Jersey City University - Jersey City New Jersey Institute of Technology - Newark New Jersey School for the Deaf - Ewing Township North Plainfield High School - North Plainfield Princeton University - Princeton Rider University - Lawrenceville Ramapo College - Mahwah Rutgers University - New Brunswick Summit High School - Summit Seton Hall University - South Orange St. Peters University - Jersey City Stevens Institute of Technology - Hoboken The College of New Jersey - Ewing Township Thomas Edison State University - Trenton West Essex Regional High School - North Caldwell William Paterson University - Wayne
Miscellaneous Collections and Indexes:
Independent Voices - Alternative Press
- Common Sense
- Fort Dix 38 Speak Out
- Forward
- Fragging Action
- Mailing List of Organizations opposed to the War in Vietnam
- New Directions for Women
- New Directions for Women in New Jersey
- Shakedown
- SPD News
- Talisman
- Tamarisk
Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) Newspapers 1933-1942
- Branchville - Camp Paper (Company 1266)
- Branchville - Campus 57 Echoes (Company 1266)
- Branchville - Kittinews (Company 218)
- Branchville - S-71 Weekly (Company 1266)
- Branchville - Stoker (Company 218)
- Branchville - Trail Blazer (Company 218)
- Branchville - Two Eighteen Times (Company 218)
- Butler - 239Ers (Company 239)
- Fort Hancock - Bugler (Company 288)
- Freehold - Monmouth Monitor (Company 259)
- Mays Landing - 265Th Woodsmen (Company 265)
- Mays Landing - Happy Landing (Company 265)
- Morristown - Fort Nonsense News (Company 241)
- Morristown - Jockey Hollow Chips (Company 241)
- New Lisbon - Camp Pack News (Company 237)
- New Lisbon - Flash (Company 235)
- Orange - Mountain-Ear (Company 1281)
- Sussex - High Pointer (Company 216)
- Tuckerton - Bass River Log (Company 225)
- Woodbine - Camp Bulletin (Company 242)
- Woodbine - Nummy Speaks (Company 242)
- Woodbine - Woodbine Camp Courier (Company 242)
- Woodbine - Woodbine Courier (Company 242)
Old Fulton Postcards
- Asbury Park NJ Daily Press (1876-1901)
- Asbury Park NJ Journal (1898-1901)
- Atlantic City NJ Daily Union (1889-1900)
- Belmar NJ Coast Advertiser (1918-27, 1929-30, 1933-74)
- Bernardsville NJ News (1897, 1903-1922)
- Bloomfield NJ Citizen ( 1872-1913 )
- Bloomfield NJ Independient Press (1891-1961 )
- Bloomfield NJ Record (1873-1936 )
- Bridgeton NJ Pioneer (1884-1917)
- Bridgeton NJ West Jersey Pioneer (1852-1884)
- Clifton NJ Jewish Community News (1980-1985 )
- Cranford NJ Chronicle (1894,95,97,1899-1909)
- Cranford NJ Citizen (1906-1921)
- Dover NJ Iron Era (1872-1905)
- Fair Lawn NJ Israelight (1960-1970 )
- Hackettstown NJ Forum ( 1974-1978 )
- Hackettstown NJ Gazette (1857-1962 )
- Hackettstown NJ Gazetteold ( )
- Hackettstown NJ Warren Republican ( 1883-1920 )
- Hightstown NJ Gazette (1862-1898)
- Hightstown NJ Independent (1846, 1881-1900)
- Hightstown NJ Village Record (1849-1861)
- Jersey City NJ Jewish Standard ( 1931-1936 )
- Jersey City NJ News (1889-1906)
- Little Falls NJ Herald (1929-1960)
- Little Falls NJ Passaic Valley Journal (1975-1982)
- Little Falls NJ Reporter (1919-1929)
- Little Falls NJ Times Herald ( 1960-1975)
- Matawan NJ Journal (1869-1922)
- Ocean Grove NJ Times (1875-1922)
- Paterson NJ Evening News (1895-1896)
- Paterson NJ Morning Call (1885-1922)
- Paterson NJ The Jewish Post (1934-1941 )
- Pattern NJ Federation News (1970-1986 )
- Perth Amboy NJ Evening News (1903-1921)
- Peterson NJ Daily Gardian (1857-1895)
- Peterson NJ Evening News (1912-1922)
- Plainfield NJ Constitutionalist ( )
- Princeton NJ Town Topics 1946-1956 (1946-1956)
- Rahway NJ Daily Record (1911-1919)
- Rahway NJ National Democrat (1873-1889)
- Red Bank NJ Register (1878-1891)
- Summet NJ Herald (1896-1923)
- Summet NJ Record (1883,89-92,96,14,16,21,23)
- Wayne NJ Passaic Valley Today (1986-1989)
Small Town Papers
The Olden Times - New Jersey
Newspaper Abstracts - New Jersey
For Obituary Indexes, transcriptions, and other death/obituary information from historic newspapers, please check out the Obituaries page.
Other Free Sites:
Bernardsville Boonton Burlington Caldwell Camden Carlstadt Clifton Dover Flemington Fort Dix Haddonfield Hoboken Lawrenceville Long Branch Maplewood Matawan Metuchen Montclair Morristown Newark New Brunswick Nutley Parsippany Passaic Paterson Plainfield Princeton Secaucus Trenton Tuckerton Washington West Orange Woodland Park
Subscription or Pay Sites:
Ancestry.com:
There are currently 29 publications available at this site. See all the titles at Ancestry - New Jersey Newspapers
Genealogy Bank:
There are currently 275 publications available at this site. See all the titles at Genealogy Bank - New Jersey Newspapers
Newspaper Archive:
There are currently 99 publications available at this site. See all the titles at Newspaper Archive - New Jersey
Newspapers.com:
There are currently 146 publications available at this site. See all the titles at Newspapers.com - New Jersey
And Finally:
You also need to check out the New Jersey Digital Newspaper Project site, which can tell you what is happening in the state with regard to the newspapers that have been digitized and are becoming available via microfilm or online.
Please note - even more may be available via a local library where a library card is required. And of course there is always microfilm for those that have not been made available online as yet.
Good Luck and Happy Hunting!
For more links for different states, provinces, and countries - please see the Newspaper Links page on this website.
For other Free New Jersey Links, click on the category of interest: